
Moroni is the largest city of the Comoros and since 1958 has served as its capital. The city is located on the western coast of Grande Comore island. Moroni is served by the Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (IATA airport code: HAH). There is also a harbour with regular transport to the African mainland and the other islands in the Comoros archipelago, as well as Madagascar and other Indian ocean islands. Exports include vanilla, cocoa, and coffee. Moroni also has many excellent beaches.
The islands possess a variety of animal life with several species unique to the Comoros or rarely found elsewhere. The famous Coelacanth, a fish once thought to be extinct for millions of years, is found very much alive in Comorian waters. Livingstone's flying fox, a giant fruit bat with a wing span over four feet, is found nowhere else in the world. Several varieties of insects, including the butterfly pictured at left, and over a dozen species of birds are unique to the islands. Many of these species are now being threatened with extinction.